'Unthinkable': Child driver of utility vehicle, 7, and boy, 8, dead in B.C. rollover

The mayor of a small British Columbia village says news of two children dying in a rollover accident involving a utility terrain vehicle has been "devastating." 

Pouce Coupe Mayor Danielle Veach says both families who lost children are well respected and the deaths of the seven-year-old girl and eight-year-old boy are "absolutely tragic." 

Police say the vehicle was being driven by the girl with four other children on board when it rolled over last Thursday. 

They say the girl died in hospital, while the eight-year-old passenger was pronounced dead at the scene. 

Mounties say the vehicle rolled over several times and covered a "considerable distance," ejecting some of the children. 

A man who identified himself as the father of the girl who died said in a Facebook post on the day of the crash that his family and his nephew's family had experienced a tragic accident on their farm involving a side-by-side vehicle.

The post initially said the man's daughter had been taken by air ambulance to Edmonton, but an update said the girl "went to Heaven."

The mayor said their community is very close-knit. 

"Any time any member of our community goes through something that is so tragic, it really does ripple through every single one of us," Veach said Wednesday in an interview. 

"At this time, it's still so raw. It's been less than seven days, you know, at this point. I know that the community is really rallying around them, but we're also really trying to respect the families' privacy."

Police say the other children survived the crash with minor injuries.

"As a parent, I cannot fathom the unimaginable and tragic loss these families have suffered," RCMP Staff Sgt. Kris Clark said in the Mounties' statement.

"Our hearts go out to everyone who was impacted by this unthinkable event.

Veach said she hasn't yet reached out to the families of the victims, but understands that they're being supported by their loved ones and church community. 

"I just can't imagine the overwhelming grief," she said. "While I've not personally reached out, I have definitely kept (them) in my prayers and my thoughts."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 10, 2026.

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